Come on Life
by SissiCuddles
Summary: After a near-death experience, Cuddy has new priorities. She wants to do all the things she had missed along the years. Huddy established relationship and Rachel. HIATUS.
1. Chapter 1

**Come on Life**

This fan-fiction starts during Bombshells, you'll understand it when you start reading the first few lines. No break-up in sigh, not at all. This is a vaery shot chapter, barely reaching 605 words; I consider it an introduction because I want to know if you guys want me to keep writing this story or not... **So, leave a review telling me if I should keep writing it or not**. Thanks :)

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><p><strong>Chapter 1<strong>

"I brought you something." he said, his hands reaching for something hidden in his pocket. Cuddy smiled surprised at his sweet gesture. "Say hello to your tumor!" he said, smirking while handing her what had been extracted from her kidneys during the surgery. Her smile immediately faded, replaced by a very disgusted expression. He was about to retrieve his hand when her hands meet his, stopping him.

"Wait!" she said. She took the tiny glass box in her hands, her eyes locked onto it as if wondering how such a little things had made her so scared. She sighed. "There are so many things I could be afraid of and most of the time I manage to lock them up behind doors." she said, gesturing with her hands to the benign tumor she still held in her hand. "I had a lot of time to think about my life, about the choices I made along the years." she started, her left hand reaching for his. "I have a daughter now, whom I love more than my own life and with my job I provide her whatever she needs. But I realized that I've missed so many things because I was way too worried about settling down and have a family on my own. In the past few years I have barely had fun: I never go out with friends, I don't travel any more, I haven't gotten drunk nor smocked weed since college..." she said, chuckling.

"You've never been to Las Vegas..." he said, adding this to Cuddy's mental list. She laughed and nodded.

"You're right..." she confirmed. "And since we got together I managed to accomplish some of the things I missed along the years, and I shall thank you for this." she thanked him, smiling sweetly, squeezing his hand in hers tightly. "And after this almost near-death experience I want things to change. I want to live a little." she concluded.

House stared at her, obviously confused by her girlfriend's words. "What do you mean?" he asked dumbfounded.

"I want to take some time off, spend it with my daughter and with you. I want to go out more, meet my old friends, travel all along the world, maybe Europe and perhaps I'll finally learn Italian..." she said laughing. House kept staring at her more shocked and confused, not believing what Cuddy had just said.

She lifted their still intertwined hands and kisses his knuckles, smiling softly at him. He could see the glee in her eyes, which were silently telling him that she was waiting for an answer. "Are you serious about this?" he asked, his face emotionless.

Cuddy stared at him, a feeling of uneasiness starting to feel his chest. She knew he was not going to accept her plan and she didn't want to leave him now that they were finally together after all those years. "Yes, I am." she replied.

His eyes were still locked onto hers. "Lisa, are you sure?" he asked again. She frowned a little upon hearing him call her by her first name.

"I am." she answered again.

"Then I'm okay with whatever you want to do from now on." he replied, a small smile coming to his lips as her eyes widened and her hands reached behind his neck drawing him closer to her body into a slow kiss.

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><p><strong>Again, leave a review telling me if I should keep writing it or not. Thnx<strong>


	2. Chapter 2

**Come on Life**

I wrote this chapter thrice ad still not sure about the final result because I realized it'll be strongly OOC and this is bugging me. In this chapter and fic, House is trying to be a father-figure to Rachel in his own way, but trying also to follow Cuddy's wishes. I want you guys to let me know whether this story is good enough to be continued or not. I really need to hear your mind about this one because I'm not sure about my plans for this fic. Last chapter wasn't beta-ed but this one I have to thank _Audrey_, who gladly beta-ed it. Thanks to all of you who left a review, I really appreciate it :)

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><p><strong>Chapter 2<strong>

It had been a couple days since Cuddy had been discharged from the hospital and forced by both her boyfriend and doctor to take some time off in order for her wound to heal completely. In the meanwhile, she had worked on a letter, the one she'd delivered earlier to the board, informing them of her decision to leave the hospital for a while. Once they read that letter, the members of the board were shocked but decided that the she-devil, as House used to refer her to, really needed some time for herself. In the letter, she explained also that her boyfriend, and former employee, Dr Gregory House, would join her but she would make sure he helped his team.

Telling her mother about her decision had been the hardest thing, but Cuddy and House had tried to make it seem like the most logical step. Arlene was shocked and a little disappointed, but when her daughter pleaded her to understand her needs for once in her life, the older woman nodded and offered her help with Rachel. Cuddy had hugged her mother, assuring her that's what she really needed. Arlene seemed to accept that, but not without adding few mean comments about her not being able to settle down, _just like her sister_,and muttering something about entering mid-life crisis. And that was what House hated the most: seeing Cuddy's feelings and self esteem being shut down into millions of pieces by her mother's expectations. In that moment, he had promised himself that he'd make sure Arlene would never shut down Cuddy's every dream.

Wilson had been surprised but had accepted their offer to join them in a couple "adventures". He had given them one of his goofy smiles before hugging Cuddy and telling House to make his best not to screw everything up. House had smirked before abandoning the Oncologist's office to tell his team.

The team had been surprised. Foreman on the other hand was thrilled by the idea of taking control over the department, but House immediately shut him down, announcing that he would still be the Head of the department and will come check on the fellows every now and then. House didn't really like the idea, but Cuddy had pleaded him to keep working and help the team when the cases would get out of hand.

The whole hospital stuff had seemed to be intrigued by their sudden breakaway, but they soon learned, thanks to Nurse Jeffrey and Brenda's incapacity of keeping their gossipy mouths shut, that the cranky old doctor and the sweet ambitious Chief of Medicine were running away to get married somewhere only they know.

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><p><em>The following day...<em>

"Wilson told me they're betting on us," House informed Cuddy, who just entered the kitchen in a towel. He was making breakfast for the three of them, and when Cuddy walked close to him, standing there half naked, water drops rolling from her hair down onto her body, his heart skipped a bit.

"Check my stitches, please," she said, moving the towel apart in order to show him the healing wound.

"Betting on what exactly?" she asked soon after, clearly intrigued. He touched softly the now closing wound, examining the still present stitches and the coagulated blood on the margins.

"Stitches are okay. I might take them out tomorrow or in a couple days. Wound's healing perfectly fine," he replied, before turning around to flip the pancakes.

"The rumor mill is going crazy. Nurse Brenda thinks we run away to have a secret wedding somewhere in South America," he answered to her second question.

Cuddy laughed, before shrugging. "When we decide to get back to work, we should wear rings and walk into the hospital hand in hand..." she said.

"If we take Rachel with us that day, they'll completely freak out," he concluded smirking at her.

Cuddy laughed before exiting the room to get changed and to wake Rachel up from her nap.

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><p>And hour later everyone was fed and ready to leave. Rachel had begged her mother to visit the Museum of Natural Science in Trenton, shocking both adults with her request. It's not everyday that a 4 year old asked to be taken to a museum, so they both accepted the kid's idea.<p>

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><p>Rachel enjoyed every single part of it, from the pavilion about the origins of the world to the one about the climatic zones; she had tried to pet the embalmed animals till Cuddy had to pick her up in order to make her stay away from them. She showed all her interest and surprise when they had walked through the planetarium. The kid was completely mesmerized by all the stars, planets and galaxies that were adorning the place. Rachel "forced" them to spend a good couple hours in that section of the museum. She wanted to know everything about the various elements in the room, from the sun to the moon and House "willingly", under the death glare of the toddler's mother, shared everything he knew with the kid.<p>

Rachel ran towards the big yellowish ball in the center of the room. Observing the other kids and adults around it, she reached for it with her tiny hand and was shocked when she felt the warm surface. House and Cuddy soon arrived behind her and touched the huge sphere like the kid did.

"The ball is hot, Mommy," Rachel commented. Cuddy chuckled and knelt down toward her daughter.

"You know what this is?" she asked her. Rachel nodded her head.

"Sun!" she squealed delighted and in some way showing that she was proud of herself for knowing the answer to her mother's question.

"That's right," Cuddy replied, lifting up her daughter and moving onto the miniature of the sun.

"This is what the sun looks like from the inside," House told her while pointing to the semicircle divided in different parts with different colors.

"This one is called photosphere, just above this there's another thin region called chromosphere..." he started, completely thrilling Rachel, whose eyes were on him. And when she tried to repeat those absurdly difficult words, Cuddy and House laughed out loud at the toddler's attempts.

"The sun wasn't always this shiny, you know?" he continued. Rachel tried to look outside the window for the sun and smiled at her mother.

"And the moon?" the toddler asked.

"Well, the moon is a satellite," he stated. Rachel giggled.

"No, silly. The moon is a big star!" she said with a wide smile, before looking at her mother, who shook her head.

"It is not, sweetie." she said, Rachel immediately looked down and then towards House, who gave her a small shy smile.

An hour later, Rachel fell asleep in her mother's arms, completely worn out from the day's events. They drove home in silence, enjoying the summer breeze entering from the windows and the sun leaving the sky, replaced soon by a full bright moon. Rachel was asleep in the backseat, her head resting on Cuddy's lap as she stared out the car in delight as the country side rolled in front of her eyes. House was driving and once in a while his eyes would drift from the street to the rear-view mirror in order to take a glimpse of Cuddy's profile.

She was so beautiful and he was one lucky bastard to have the pleasure to be able to say she was his, and only his. Of course he had to share her with Rachel, and the thought made him smirk, but he was willing to spent time with the kid. She had developed great eyes for details and now was interested in everything around her. House remembered how at first the kid was stupid and how she couldn't play with those simple toys; but when she lied to her mother to save the man's ass, he was grateful that Cuddy had such a beautiful and intelligent child. He was sure Rachel would be soon admitted to that kindergarten, it would be a matter of months, a year top.

"What are you thinking about?" he hard Cuddy ask

"Nothing..." he replied, shrugging.

"Liar. Come on, tell me," she urged him with her words. He stared at the street, as the moon was starting to shine in the light blue sky.

"I think Rachel is a very clever kid," he admitted. Cuddy smiled softly at him, before lowering her head to look at her daughter. She played with her long brown hair before touching the tip of her nose, knowing that Rachel liked her mother's soft touch.

"Thank you. She really is," she said.

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><p>During the trip back home, Rachel had woken up demanding food. Much to House's pleasure, Rachel had insisted upon stopping at Taco Bell, and thanks to House's and the kid's whining, Cuddy had to surrender to the "kids" request.<p>

"I can't believe you took Rachel to Taco Bell and I didn't know. No wonder she kept asking me to be taken there for dinner," she had commented after leaving the restaurant.

"You were stuck at the hospital, the kid was hungry and there were only carrots and spinach in your kitchen. I needed a drastic intervention!" he excused himself before starting the car.

Rachel was happily bouncing up and down in the backseat, holding her new stuffed lion that she had begged House to buy her.

They arrived home twenty minutes later, Rachel was still bouncing and wriggling out of her mother's grip, having decided that she wanted to play in the garden even if it was way past her bedtime.

"Rachel, I'm giving you another five minutes before you have to come in a get ready for bedtime, okay?" Cuddy told the girl before turning to House and asking him if he could look after Rachel while she went to the bathroom. He silently nodded and followed the kid into the backyard where there was a small slide, where the toddler immediately ran to. She climbed up the stairs and looked up towards the sky. Her eyes immediately widened in delight and curiosity as millions of little bright dots were shining. Her mouth opened into a big O as she slid down the slide and lay on the ground next to the deckchair where House had taken a seat.

"Stars!" Rachel said, breaking the silence. House couldn't help but smile a small smile while gazing at the deep blue sky.

"And planets," he corrected the little girl. "You see that reddish one?" he asked, pointing to a bright red planet. Rachel nodded enthusiastically. "That's Mars. It's not a star but a planet."

"Why is it red?" Rachel asked.

"It's red because the ground up there it's red," he stated matter-o-factly.

Rachel nodded feeling herself getting tired and sleepy again. House was about to explain her something about aliens when Cuddy exited the door and reached for the now sleeping toddler and laying her on the nearer deckchair.

House stared at the kid, as she slowly changed into a fetal position and placed her own hands under her head as a pillow. Cuddy planted a kiss on the girl's forehead, before sitting at House's feet.

"She's completely worn out," she commented as House slowly reached for her shoulders and made her lay down with him. She lay on her side, her head nestled in between his shoulder and neck as her hand stroked his chest gently.

"It's so nice out here... we should have lunch or dinner outside more often," she said, before looking up at the sky with a yawn.

"It really is nice, especially when I have a hot lady lying next to me," he said before looking down at his girlfriend with a lovingly look. He smirked upon seeing her sleeping with a cute smile on her lips as she unconsciously snuggled closer to his chest.

"I have no intention on bringing you and your huge ass inside any time soon," he said, mostly to himself before closing his own eyes, letting sleep wash over him.

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><p><strong>I beg you guys to tell me what you think about it because I really don't know if I should writemore or not. Thank you so much :)<strong>


	3. Chapter 3

**Come on Life**

This is really really fluffy! I could taste cotton candy in my mouth as I wrote this! But hey, this fandom needs a great amount of fluffiness after all the angst we have all been through. So, thanks again to Audrey for beta-ing this capter and to everyone who reviewed and added this story to their allerts or faves.

P.S.: I beg your pardon for all the mistakes in the second capter. I didn't got to reread before posting and I realized only after that I messed up a couple things. Sorry. I corrected everything already.

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><p><strong>Chapter 3<strong>

"Mom?" Cuddy called out as soon as she got out of the car. Rachel had already run towards the front door of the Cuddy's summer residence. When they were kids, Lisa and Julia used to spend the whole summer in that wonderful estate by the Hudson River, the same place where Arlene had spent half her life, growing up. It was a lovely place which reminded both Lisa and her sister about all the things they had lived and experienced there: their first adventures along the river, learning how to swim and in particular their summer meaningless romances with different boys.

House and Cuddy followed Rachel and stood under the porch, where she rang the doorbell, informing her mother of their arrival.

"Sure your family is rich..." House commented.

"Sadly yes... You won't believe how much I hated this..." she replied with a sad tone.

"Why? I'm sure it wasn't a terrible experience."

"First, you didn't grow up with Arlene Cuddy as a mother. Second, Mom and Dad would constantly argue about money... and I still can't figure out why," she replied, trying her best not to give too much importance to that thought. She had spent all her childhood witnessing her parents yelling at each other and she didn't want to think about it anymore, especially not now that her father was dead.

Arlene finally opened the door letting them in.

"Hi Rachel!" she greeted her granddaughter who was staring at her with a wide smile. "Nicholas and Matthew are here, you can go play with them," she said and the toddler immediately ran through the house to enter the enormous backyard and play with her cousins.

"Hi Mom..." Cuddy said, slowly entering the threshold, followed by House who nodded as a greeting.

"Hi Lisa..." Mrs Cuddy greeted her daughter with a gentle hug. "Hi Greg..." she said, grinning at him in a very Arlene like way.

"When are you leaving?" she asked as she walked into the kitchen to get six glasses of iced tea.

"We have dinner reservation for tonight at 7, so we better leave right after lunch. It takes almost 2.30 hours to get to Cape May," Cuddy answered, grabbing the glasses and putting them onto a tray. House looked at them as they performed what looked like a routine for them. It was new for him to partake at the Cuddy's interaction inside their own house. He couldn't believe how Cuddy could be so at ease with her mother when all Arlene could do was criticizing her and her choices. Of course he had slightly changed his mind about the older woman when she had talked to him in his office that day, but he knew that no matter what, Arlene would always see something in her younger daughter that she couldn't see in herself or in Julia.

"House..." Cuddy called him seeing that he was standing in the hallway alone and staring at the wall.

"Huh?" he mumbled.

"Are you okay?" she asked, tilting her head to the side and taking a step closer. She stroked his bicep as she looked into his eyes, trying to understand what was going on.

"I'm fine." he said with a small shy smile. "Are you?" he asked. Cuddy nodded at him, smiling back at him.

"I am. Just a couple more hours in the company of my mother and then we will have the weekend all by ourselves. It couldn't get any better" she said, her smile widening as she lifted herself on her tiptoes to softly peck his lips.

"Are you done making out in my hallway?" Arlene yelled from the backyard.

"Not yet. I need some more tongue action!" House yelled back, earning a playful slap on the chest from Cuddy.

"It's okay for me until you start taking your clothes off..." the woman spat back. House smirked but Cuddy's reaction was way different. She turned towards her mother, eyeing her, shocked, before facing her boyfriend one more time.

"Don't mention anything about our sex life when my mother is in the room," she ordered him, taking his hand in hers and dragging him outside, under the spacious veranda.

"Wow," he commented upon seeing the wonderful garden. Flowers and fruit-trees were everywhere. In a corner, there was a small pond, where Rachel and the two other kids were watching the fish swim and feeding the little ducks.

"My father loved this place. He used to spend hours and hours in the garden, making sure every flower was okay and he was the one who completely restored the pond," Cuddy said with a smile, enjoying the view.

"Now, Jesus is doing all the work. He's very good at this kind of things," she said proudly, before turning to House and adding "- and he's great in other departments too." House choked on his tea, bursting out laughing while Cuddy glared at her mother and shook her head in disbelief.

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><p>"House? Why do I have to stay here with Gram?" Rachel asked at lunch.<p>

"Honey, House and I will be gone for three days top. You will stay here with Gram, Nicholas and Matthew in the meanwhile. I'm sure you will have fun." her mother replied to her, while cutting her steak in small pieces. With Cuddy's back turned to her daughter, House stole a forkful of mashed potatoes from her plate, making all the kids giggle.

"House, I know you stole my potatoes and you'll pay for this later..." she threatened him.

"No foreplay in front of the kids," Arlene said before chuckling contented and standing up to check the roast in the oven.

Once again Cuddy found herself gaping, shaking her head in incredulity.

"I think my mother is high," she whispered to House.

"That's why I smelled something in the air earlier. It got me all giggly and cheery," House said.

"I'm worried, House. What if she's taking the wrong dose of medications?" she asked.

"Don't get your panties in a bunch. I'm sure she's okay. I think she needs to get all these comments out while we're here; she has to restrain herself with the kids this week," he said, squeezing her hand.

An hour later...

"Good bye, Mom..." Cuddy said as she hugged her mother. "Marina is on call if you need some help. I left her number in Rachel's bag."

"Don't worry, Lisa. Julia is coming over tomorrow morning and she'll help. You two better hurry up," she said with a small smile. After hugging her mother once again, Cuddy walked to the car, leaving House behind.

"She knows something is going on. You weren't as 'transparent' as you told me you would be," House told the woman, who merely nodded but smiled.

"Just one more thing, Gregory. Hurt my daughter and I'll come to hunt you down," she said, closing the door behind her as she entered the house.

House sighed and walked to the car. He had plans for that weekend, something that he had arranged with Arlene and Julia, something that Cuddy should not know anything about. He was going to surprise her and he was sure that even if Arlene had been so extravagant at lunch, Cuddy didn't know a single thing about what was going on.

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><p>After they left Arlene's place, Cuddy and House returned back to their respective places to retrieve their luggage. When House arrived at his apartment, Wilson was already there, sitting on the one of the three steps. He had offered to help him with his luggage and House had gladly accepted, knowing that his friend would have done all the work for him. When everything was ready, Wilson drove his friend to Cuddy's place.<p>

"And... we're here," Wilson said, stopping the car in front of Cuddy's yard.

Cuddy was already outside, trying to put her oversized trolley into the trunk of her black SUV.

"Thank you, Wilson," Cuddy smiled at the Oncologist as he helped her.

"You're welcome," he said with a small sad smile.

"I'm glad House has accepted your help. I have no idea what he could have brought with him."

"Don't worry. I made sure he had everything he needed. It's not like I have something to do, nor someone to see at home." he said with a sad smile.

"You're not alone, Jimmy-boy. Your diabetic cat is there to keep you company," House said in a fake cheery tone.

"Well, I can't take my cat out for dinner, can I?" Wilson said.

"But you can still shag Debby from Accounting. She totally digs your bushy eyebrows." he bickered back with a grin.

"She really has the hots for you, James," Cuddy said. "Are we ready to go?" she asked, receiving a nod from her boyfriend. "Thanks again, Wilson," she said while hugging her friend.

"Hands off. He's mine," House said, tugging at Cuddy's arm. Cuddy smiled and squeezed his hand.

"He's all yours now. I'll wait for you in the car," she said before walking away.

"Good bye, Jimmy-boy," he told his friend before taking an envelope from the inner pocket of his blazer. "Open it tomorrow and don't you dare talk about this with anyone at the hospital or outside the hospital. No one has to know. Do you understand?" he asked with a very serious, almost scary expression. Wilson nodded, still staring at the envelope in his hand.

"Good bye, House. Have fun," the man said, as House got into the car and Cuddy turned on the engine and drove off, waving her hand to him. He had to wait less than twenty-four hours to know about his friend's master plan and he was scared. He knew House too well.

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><p>Almost two hours and twenty minutes later, House and Cuddy finally arrived at the Beach Shack Hotel in Cape May. Much to House's disappointment it wasn't a very luxurious hotel, but he had accepted Cuddy's choice to stay at this alternative place. They were immediately guided to their own room: it was very spacious, all decorated in a casual beach style and there were also some kitchen appliances including a refrigerator and a microwave oven. It was a very practical place because Cuddy had told him she didn't want to be baby-sat the whole weekend. She wanted to experience something different, something she'd never forget. She wanted to be the one to make breakfast, to cook something in the middle of the night if she was hungry. She wanted to be on holiday but also to feel like being home, to live in a certain domesticity. House immediately laid down on the bed, testing the mattress.<p>

"I like the bed. It feels like I'm sleeping on a cloud," he commented.

"Sleeping on a cloud? Are you high on honey buns?" Cuddy asked with a smile.

"I think I spent way too much time with your kid. I'm starting to use fluffy metaphors," he said sitting up on the bed and staring at the woman. Cuddy had her back to him and was admiring the nice view of the ocean from their balcony.

"It's fantastic. The last time I've been here it was right before I moved to Michigan. A friend had a house here and we spent a weekend here, basically getting drunk or high, spending the nights on the beach sleeping on the sand," she said chuckling. House walked closer to her, wrapping his arms around her and kissing her neck.

"I should bring Rachel down here sometimes," she said, leaning into his embrace.

"_We_ should," he said causing her to smile. She turned around to face him, a wide smile still on her lips as she gently kissed him. He bit her bottom lips, asking to deepen the kiss and she immediately accomplished to his request, opening her mouth and letting their tongues dance and fight. House was the one to break the kiss several minutes later.

"As much as I like what we're doing, we have dinner reservation for tonight and..." he stopped to look at the clock "We're running late." Cuddy glanced at the clock.

"Shit, you're right," she said before running into the bathroom. "Come on House, we need to shower," she said with a smile. House stared at her, eyes widening at her offer.

"I'll wash your back if you wash mine!" she shouted but House was already following her, taking his clothes off in the meanwhile.

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><p><strong>I told you it was fluffy, but please leave a review to let me know if you like it or not. I have already planned the next couple chapters.<strong>


	4. Chapter 4

**Come on Life**

Sorry for the long wait guys, blame the new series I added to my list (The Good Wife is AWESOME! and so is Game of Thrones! and Natalia Tena... *.* she's so cute and has a truly amazing voice when she sings!). Thanks again to _Audrey_ for beta-ing this! Fluffiness, smut and some angst.

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><p><em>After dinner...<em>

House wrapped an arm around Cuddy as they walked from the restaurant to their hotel. As much as romantic the gesture was, House's aim was to save her from tripping: her exaggerated high heels weren't doing any good as a very tipsy Cuddy had eyes only for a huge limoncello flavored ice cream.

"This ice cream is so good," she said, moaning and leaning onto his body. House stopped and helped her sit on a wooden bench. When he sat next to her, she shoved the ice cream towards his face, smearing it all over his mouth and nose.

"Cuddy!" he yelped. She looked up at him and burst out laughing.

"I'm sorry!" she said.

"Hand me a tissue," he said.

"No..." she said smirking. He stared at her for a while and witnessed the change in her eyes; they sparkled with mischief and what he would identify for lust.

"I'm sure I would like what you have in mind but you'll regret it when you sober up a little bit," he said, opening her purse and taking a tissue out.

Cuddy took five more minutes to eat the whole ice-cream, occasionally thrusting it very close to House's face in order to let him have some.

"Uhm..." she groaned softly as she stretched. "I need a cup of coffee," she said, standing up and offering her hand for House to take.

"Yes, Mistress," he said with a little bow.

"And a bagel," she continued, pulling him up from the bench. House grinned. He was enjoying this way too much. He had experienced Cuddy's different levels of drunkenness. In college, she would turn into a tiger, chasing older students and dancing wherever she could, but now her drunken behavior changed depending on what she had drank. If it was Tequila then she'd become a hyperactive bunny, if it was a Mojito she'd get all smiley and with wine she would get extremely flirtatious.

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><p>A Starbucks Mocaccino and a Blueberry Cheesecake later, House and Cuddy entered their bedroom. She lay onto the bed and started taking her shoes off.<p>

"Uhmm..." she sighed as she finally dropped the second shoe on the floor. "Coffee does wonders," she said, smirking up at him. "It amazes me how I can get tipsy by drinking half a bottle of wine and a lightly alcoholic ice cream." House sat next to her and smiled.

"Well, I know a more efficient way to sober up," he said with a smirk. Cuddy's eyes opened just in time to see his lips coming closer to her mouth. He kissed her full lips in a vortex of passion, lust, desire and love.

She grabbed the collar of his ironed shirt, dragging him closer, opening her mouth too deepen the kiss, letting his tongue invade her mouth. She tasted the strong aroma of the black coffee he had drank minutes before and the sweet flavor of the chocolate croissant they had shared. Her fingers run up and down his neck, playing with the short hair on the back of his neck, right behind his ears. It was something she loved doing; feeling him shiver under her touch, surrendering to the soft caressed her fingers traced on such a sensitive portion of skin. She could feel his arousal springing to life, poking her stomach as he gripped her hips and pressed his pelvis against hers. She tugged at the hem of his shirt, fidgeting then with the buttons. House willingly helped her take it off, then helped her with her own dress. Cuddy didn't need to be told twice. She immediately slid off of the garment; her bra soon followed the other clothes scattered on the floor. House instinctively started sucking on her neck, nibbling and licking her skin, careless of the consequences of his actions; Cuddy moaned feeling the pleasure arising in her body, radiating from her lower abdomen to every inch of skin.

She bit his bottom lip, her teeth sinking slowly into his skin drawing a single drop of blood from his bruised lips. She was enjoying his callous hands roaming over her body, stroking her skin softly, driving her into frenzy with his touch only. She quickly unbuckled his belt, unbuttoned and unzipped his jeans. He broke the kiss, sliding his pants off as she did the same with the only item left on her body. He stared at her perfect body, still surprised that such a thin toned body could have such female and prosperous curves. She smiled at him, more like an evil grin.

She claimed his lips in another toe curling kiss and his hands reached for her mound, stroking her clit slowly. His fingers slowly parted her fold, feeling her juices coating his fingertips. She bucked her hips against his hand, craving for more. He slid a finger inside of her, feeling her walls tightening around him, a second one and then a third one. She was panting hard against his neck, her mouth leaving sloppy butterfly kisses all over his chest as her hand gripped his hips.

She then started stroking him, feeling his shaft becoming harder in her hands. The tip of his cock touched her folds, eliciting a moan from both of them. She guided him inside of her, her back arching as his mouth moved to her breast, sucking on the skin. He thrust into her hard, feeling that they both needed to release the tension accumulated in the previous weeks. He felt himself getting close to his release, her inner walls massaging his cock slowly, pulsing around him, milking him with her juices.

"House, I'm..." she mumbled.

"Yeah..." he said, thrusting into her one more time, feeling her trembling under his body. Her inner walls clenched around him as she came panting and screaming his name in his ears. He came soon after her, his body falling on hers without smashing her.

"You get quite vocal when you get drunk," he commented with a laugh. Cuddy snuggled closer to him, slipping under the shits, taking him with her.

"I am always quite vocal, if you recall," she said with a mischievous smile. He nodded and kissed the crown of her head.

"It's good, you know... to be here, I mean. We don't have to worry about Rachel walking in on us thinking someone's being murdered with an axe," he said.

"That was awkward," she laughed. She snuggled even closer to him, using his shoulder as a pillow. After a couple minutes, she stood up, gathered her underwear from the floor and one of his T-shirts from his duffle bag.

"Hey!" he yelled. "What happened to our 'staying naked after sex club'?" he asked indignant.

"I have to pee," she said before entering the bathroom and closing the door behind her back.

He stared at the closed door for a while, knowing that Cuddy might take a while in there. She knew her far too much for her likings but it was part of his professional bias. He stood up, reaching for his boxers and put them on. He was nervous and he only knew why. He had already planned everything but the anxiousness was driving him insane. He took the small box from his duffle bag, glad that Cuddy hadn't seen it when she took the T-shirt, and hid it under the pillow on his side of the bed

Five minutes later, Cuddy came back into the room to find him sprawled on his front onto the bed. She grinned before lying on his back, kissing his cheek from behind.

"You took an eternity..." he commented, his voice modified by the fluffy pillow his head rested on. She poked him in the ribs and kissed his cheek one more time, feeling him relax a bit.

They laid there in complete silence for a while, enjoying the closeness of their bodies, their breathing lulling each other to sleep.

"If I were to propose, what would your answer be?" he asked after clearing his throat. She shifted nervously, sliding off of his body to his side in order to face him.

"Where does this come from?" she asked puzzled.

"It's just something I want to know," he said, attempting to shrug. She stared at him and shook her head.

"I don't know. I can't say that I've never thought about getting married and you know that I was married once... but I don't think that counts," she said with a shy smile. "But I can say that the idea of you proposing never crossed my mind," she confessed shyly.

"And what if in a future I'd actually ask you, what would you do?" he asked again.

"I..." she started but stopped when House's hands reached for something under the pillow. She saw his fingers closing around a small dark box. She gasped, tears falling down her cheeks.

"House..." she whispered as he handed her the now open box where a small diamond was installed in a silver band.

"I'm not getting on one knee..." he said with a smirk. Cuddy stared at the ring, her eyes turning red as she continued crying.

"I..." she stopped, looking up at him. "I... I don't know, House..." she whispered. House sat up and looked at her.

"So you accepted the proposal of a man you barely knew, but not mine," he said. She stood up from the bed, taking the shorts she wore during their trip and put them on. She walked to the door and turned towards him.

"I'm sorry but... I need some time to… think," she said before disappearing behind the door. She leaned onto the wall and let out a soft pained cry as she relived in her mind the look of hurt she had seen on House's face.

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><p><strong>TU NU NU! Will upload soon, I promise!<strong>


	5. Chapter 5

**Come on Life**

See? I updated already! Give me a cookie now cuz I'm sick *sneeze*

Thanks to _Audrey_, my awesome beta ^^

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><p>"<em>I'm sorry but... I need some time to… think," she said before disappearing behind the door. She leaned onto the wall and let out a soft pained cry as she relived in her mind the look of hurt she had seen on House's face.<em>

Cuddy had been walking for an hour along the shore. She didn't know where she was nor where she was aiming to go. She was shivering as the strong and cold nightly breeze blew against her, messing her hair and causing goosebumps on her soft skin. She closer her eyes and took a deep breath, listening to the calming sound of the waves breaking as they hit the shore. She walked into the water, feeling the cold water reaching her knees.

She took another deep breath, this time her senses focused on the saline smell of the sea, the sweet fragrance of bread coming from the nearer bakery and then she sniffled some other scent: his. She was still wearing his T-shirt and she felt comfortable in it, as it covered her body in a warm embrace, protecting her from the cold air.

She took a few more steps, spotting an abandoned wooden boat and sat on it. She gazed up at the sky, the starts were starting to fade away as was the moon, and she could see the sky starting to light up welcoming the sun and with him a new day. She closed her eyes and let out a small sob.

"Hey..." she heard someone say. Cuddy turned around to face the woman who was greeting her. "Sorry to bother you, but I saw you here alone in the middle of the night and I thought you needed a shoulder to cry on," she said with a smile. "I know you don't know me and you'll probably think I'm a creep-o but I'm a good listener and right now I really need to smoke a cigarette without my husband knowing and that's the only place he won't come looking for me," she concluded, letting out a soft laugh. Cuddy smiled in return and gestured for the woman to sit next to her.

"I'm Alicia," she said, offering her hand for Cuddy to shake.

"Lisa..." she replied, accepting the other half of the blanket Alicia was offering her. She lighted a cigarette before offering the packet to Cuddy, who shook her head but her eyes remained on the white tobacco stick, tempted.

"Come on, it's only a single cigarette. You won't get lung cancer or whatever if you only smoke one," Alicia said, offering her one. Several minutes passed, a comfortable silence between the two women as they listened to the waves and the seagull hunting their breakfast.

"I haven't smoked since med school," Cuddy said with a chuckle.

"If my husband finds out that I'm smoking and luring other people to do the same, I'll never hear the end of it," she said, scooting closer to Lisa, seeing her shiver from the cold. "So... feel free to tell me whatever you want. I'll listen and if you allow me I'll also grace you with an advice. My friends seem eager to ask me for one daily," she said gently.

"Last month I had surgery: a benign tumor in my kidney. After that I decided that after a life spent trying to be the best at everything, I needed some time off. I took a leave of absence and so did my boyfriend. We've been spending more and more time together, also with my daughter." She smiled at the mention of her little Rachel. "We made a list of all the things I've missed in all these years, one of them coming back to Cape May. So here I am, whining about my boyfriend proposing me after I ran away from our hotel room," she said, tears streaming her cheeks.

"Why did you run away?" Alicia asked.

"Our history is way too complicated to explain," Cuddy said with a chuckle. The other woman shrugged.

"I still have a couple cigarettes and if we finish them I can always walk to the closest shop and get us some booze," she said, winking playfully. Cuddy gave a wholehearted laugh, the first since the previous night. "See? I can help you feeling better, can't I?" she asked with a wide smile.

"You're right," she said. Cuddy cleared her throat, her fists gripping the hem of the T-shirt. "House and I met in college. I was in the first year and he was in the last and he was the most famous student of the whole campus. I think I fell in love with him during the one night we shared; but then we parted. Two years ago I was with a man; a man who I thought I loved and he was one of his very few friends. But before knowing I was seeing him, he confessed that he wanted to call me after that night, that I wasn't a simple one-night stand and that he cared for me. I ran away again and the next day he found out about me and this other man. I betrayed him..." she stopped, feeling her chest tightening. "I almost married that man. I accepted his proposal in a heartbeat. You know, I felt wanted by a man who was actually good for me and for my daughter. But then something happened. House and I were called to Trenton where a building collapsed. Several things happened that night, I told him things that I still regret. I hurt him so much with my lies and the patient we cured together made me change my mind about everything. And I realized that I have never given us a chance. He went home that night and was about to take Vicodin, a pain killer he had been clean from for an year; he was about to waste a whole year of being clean because of what I said to him. He was about to take the pills when I got there." she let a sob escape and tears soon followed. "I told him that I never given us a chance that I loved him even if I wished I didn't but I couldn't help it," she said with a small shy smile. "It sounds so stupid..." she commented.

Alicia wrapped an arm around her and shook her head. "It's not, Lisa. I think it's the most romantic but also weird and twisted story I've ever heard of," she said.

Cuddy smiled. "That night we decided that we would give it a try together. We would give ourselves a shot at happiness." Alicia smiled again and hugged Cuddy firmly.

"If you love him so much, why aren't you in his arms right now?" she asked.

"I don't know. I have been married once," she chuckled. "It was a silly thing. I got divorced after less than a week. Then Lucas proposed to me. At first I accepted it and then I dumped him to run in the arms of House. And now he's asking me to marry him. I am happy with him and I've never loved a man so much as I love House, but... I don't know if he's good for me and for my daughter."

"Rachel, right?" she asked, receiving a nod from Cuddy. "Does he like Rachel?"

"He's fond of her and she absolutely adores him, but... I know him too well and I'm afraid that he might walk away..." she whispered.

"I don't want to offend you and as far as I know about the two of you... you're the one who keeps running away," Alicia said sternly. Cuddy looked up at her, suddenly realizing how true the woman's words were. "So, now go back to your hotel, get him on one knee and say yes!" Alicia concluded, smiling at Cuddy and squeezing her gently.

"Thank you," she sobbed on her shoulder. "What can I do to thank you?" she asked, trying to clean up her face from the black trace of mascara rimming her cheeks.

"If I'll ever need a doctor, I'll come hunt you down," Alicia said, giving her one last hug.

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><p>House lay on the bed, eyes closed, and breathing deeply as his heart beat slowly inside his chest. He felt bad. He felt like a complete idiot for making such a fool of himself in front of the woman he loved. He was a moron for thinking that Cuddy could accept his proposal and be with a screwed up man for the rest of her life.<p>

He felt pity for himself and that's what made him feel so bad. No wonder Cuddy run away from him. He had ruined everything; all the things he had planned for them, following detail per detail what Arlene and Julia had discovered from Lisa's diary and secret confessions. He had made sure everything was perfect, or at least perfect in its own way. It wouldn't have been a conventional wedding, no white dress, no bridesmaids, no tux, nothing that resembled a wedding but it would have been their own special occasion. That special moment in which everything would have been in its proper place.

He sighed once again, opening his eyes, which were now roaming the room as it was lightened the sun's slow rising into the light blue, pinkish sky. He heard something rattling outside the room, the soft padding of bare feet on the moquette covered floor. Shuffling of clothes, a sigh. Then the door was opened slowly by a petite brunette. Her hair, which had been previously straightened, were now falling in wild curls onto her shoulders, her make-up was straining her cheeks.

Cuddy closed the door behind her, leaned onto the wooden frame and sighed. She kept her eyes closed and her head bowed in shame.

"I'm sorry..." he whispered. Cuddy immediately opened her eyes, letting the tears run down her cheeks as she walked towards the bed.

"Why would you be sorry when I'm the one who ran away?" she asked sitting next to him, but maintaining the distance.

"I made a fool of myself..." he confessed, seeming deeply ashamed of his actions.

Cuddy scooted closer to him and lay down next to him.

"It's my fault, House. You don't have to be sorry," she said, caressing his scruffy cheek. "I was an idiot for reacting that way. I was shocked, you know. I've never thought you could do something like this, I've never thought of you as the marrying type of man." She chuckled a little. "I've been a little taken aback. I guess I haven't realized how much our relationship has grown and..."

House stopped her with a gentle kiss on the lips. "I have never taken such an important step in my life..." he confessed.

"I know and I'm so glad you choose me..." she whispered with a smile, leaning closer to peck his lips. "I love you..."

"So, what are we going to do now?" he asked as she settled herself next to him, using his shoulder as a pillow.

"I don't know... get married maybe?" she said with a wicked smile.


	6. Chapter 6

**Come on Life**

I'm soooo sooo sorry! I haven't updated in months! That won't happen again, I promise!  
>I've been trying to write a new chapter of this story for a while now, but it seems that every single attempt at a chapter is total crap. So, this is a very short chapter, a sort of sneak peek. Enjoy :)<p>

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><p>"<em>I have never taken such an important step in my life..." he confessed.<br>_"_I know and I'm so glad you choose me..." she whispered with a smile, leaning closer to peck his lips. "I love you..."  
><em>"_So, what are we going to do now?" he asked as she settled herself next to him, using his shoulder as a pillow.  
><em>"_I don't know... get married maybe?" she said with a wicked smile._

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><p>"Get married, huh?" he repeated smirking. Cuddy lazily nodded against his chest, stifling a yawn.<br>"That will happen in a couple of days." he whispered softly.  
>She didn't reply. With a smile on her angelic face, Cuddy was already fast asleep.<br>House chuckled as he wrapped both arms around her petite frame. He placed a kiss on her forehead and closed his eyes.

They still had a day to spend in Cape May, then they were heading somewhere else. Somewhere Cuddy never expected to go to.

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><p><em>Earlier that afternoon, Arlene's summer house.<em>

"Mom, do you really think Lisa will accept House's proposal?" Julia asked her mother as she watched her fill her trolley with clothes and shoes.  
>"Yes, I do." she huffed, trying to decide whether she should bring those shoes or not.<br>"I don't think she'll be happy with him." Julia stated, handing another pair of shoes to her mother.  
>"Well, you could actually be positive for once in your life. I think Lisa is happy with Greg and they love each other very much, even though he is a real schmuck." Arlene concluded with a smirk, just when Rachel run into the room giggling.<br>"Grandma, where are you going?" the toddler asked.  
>"We're all going somewhere special, Rachel." Julia explained.<br>"Really?" the kid asked thrilled.  
>"Yup, we're going to see House and your mommy." Arlene replied. Rachel squealed with excitement and run out of the room.<br>"I think she's high on sugar." Arlene mumbled.  
>"Yeah, Matthew or Nicholas probably found the Nutella jar I hid earlier." the younger woman said with a sigh. "I'm going to see what's going on downstairs. Try not to pack your entire wardrobe, mom."<p>

Five minutes later, Arlene was about to close her luggage but she stopped herself. She had almost forgot about the most important thing she needed to bring. She opened the last drawer of the dressed and took out a medium sized red box. She slowly opened it and she admired her dead husband's wedding band.  
>House had asked for it. Not for himself, but for Lisa. He had asked Arlene to have it put onto a necklace as a wedding present for her daughter.<br>Arlene couldn't help but smile as tears run down her cheeks.

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><p><em>The following day, ca 3AM, Wilson's loft.<em>

It was past 3 AM, and Wilson hadn't opened the envelope House had given him yet. It was laying on the desk across from his bed and from his position on the bed, he could see it, as it glistened thanks to the light coming from the lamp on the bedside table.

The Oncologist had been trying to sleep for hours, but all his efforts were pointless. He had promised House he would have opened the letter the following day but he was thrilled and... suddenly a realization hit him. It was already "the following day".

Wilson slid out from under the covers and trying his best not to stumble on his cat, he reached for the envelope. He sat on the bed once again, the letter now resting in his hands. He grinned as he torn the envelope and dag into it only to find a tiny post-it.

"_Tomorrow night, Las Vegas.  
><em>_Cuddy's mom has your ticket.  
><em>_P.S.: Buy us a nice gift, you're my best man after all.  
><em>_H."_

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><p><strong>Te-he. I'm evil and I know it. Leave a review on your way out :) Thankies ^^<strong>


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